what he could potentially bring to their depleted receiving group.There was also just as strong a sentiment in the building to keep any lofty expectations in check 鈥?at least for now.Gordon practiced with the Patriots for the first time Wednesday since being traded by the Browns on Monday.New England worked out a deal with Cleveland for the embattled receiver about 48 hours after the Browns announced their intention to cut ties with him https://www.patriotsfanstore.com/Stephen-Gostkowski-Jersey , saying they had “reached a point where we feel it’s best to part ways and move forward.”It never came to that, with the Patriots offering a fifth-round pick for a freakishly athletic player on the field, who often has been less than dependable off it.Gordon has been suspended multiple times by the NFL for violations of its drug policies since being drafted by the Browns in 2012. He missed the entire 2015 season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy and hasn’t come close to duplicating his All-Pro 2013 season, in which he had 87 receptions for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns.He’s appeared in only 11 games since then.It may be why coach Bill Belichick remained coy Wednesday morning when asked about what Gordon could add to New England’s offense, saying that the trade was yet to be finalized.An hour later Gordon took the practice field wearing the No. 10 jersey once occupied by former Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who was traded to San Francisco last season.Gordon was a limited participant in practice with a hamstring issue and didn’t speak with the media afterward.But his new teammates said he has been welcomed with open arms. It’s up to him to fit in on a team that demands discipline.“I think the slogan kind of stands for itself 鈥?‘Do your job’ is kind of the big mantra that’s preached around here. I’m sure he’s had that conversation with coach,” linebacker Dont’a Hightower said.“I think it’s just more about him getting comfortable. … Whatever he needs, whatever questions he has Matthew Slater Color Rush Jersey , obviously we’re all here to help him.”While there’s uncertainty about just how Gordon will fit into New England’s strict culture, it is a gamble the Patriots appear willing to take.They’ve been trying to plug holes at receiver after starting the season without Julian Edelman (suspended for first four games), Danny Amendola (signed with Miami in free agency) and Brandin Cooks (traded to Los Angeles Rams).The Patriots have brought in several new faces since the season began, creating a constant jumbling on the depth chart.Quarterback Tom Brady has compensated by spreading around passes to nearly everyone in the offense. In the season-opening win over Houston, he completed passes to eight different players. Seven different players caught at least one pass in Sunday’s loss to Jacksonville.Adding a big-play threat such as Gordon could bring some better balance.Still, during a radio interview, Brady said that he hates to “make projections and expectations” about how Gordon can help.“That’s not fair. I’ve never met Josh, personally 鈥?just like I hadn’t met some of the guys who have come in the last couple of weeks. We’ll see how it goes this week,” Brady said.“Hopefully Ryan Allen Jersey , he can work hard, put the team first and end up helping us in a role that he can find for himself on the team.”Notes: Starting DE Trey Flowers and S Patrick Chung both missed practice with concussions. Chung appeared in all 16 regular-season games each of the past two seasons. He hasn’t missed a regular-season game with the Patriots since Week 16 of the 2015 season… RB Sony Michel (knee) and DE Deatrich Wise Jr. (finger) were both full participants in practice.___ HOUSTON (AP) — J.J. Watt got better as the season opener went on, his first game since breaking his leg last October.“Whatever it was, knocking rust off in the first half or just getting back up to speed in a full game, but definitely started to feel more like myself in the second half,” Watt said of the loss in New England.After getting through that game, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year is looking to make more of an impact this week when the Texans visit Tennessee.Although the defensive end was confident he’d be OK last Sunday in his first game since Oct. 8, he admitted it was a relief to go for 70 plays on turf and come out feeling good.“Felt fine the whole game,” he said. “Never thought about it once. I’m very pleased with how it turned out and … with the second half Danny Shelton Jersey Black Friday , I started to really begin to find my groove as a player again.”It was an encouraging start for a player who not only sat out the last 11 games of 2017 but also missed all but three games in 2016 because of a back problem which required two surgeries. The Texans hope Watt can shake off his last two injured-plagued years and reach the level of Defensive Player of the Year, which he won in 2012, 2014 and 2015. Watt’s injuries came after he never missed a game in his first five NFL seasons and twice led the league in sacks.Defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel loved having Watt back and said his presence makes the entire defense better.“It’s always exciting to see him in the backfield,” Crennel said. “It’s very helpful because he’s a playmaker. When he makes plays it helps the other guys also, because he lifts everybody up.”Watt insists that, except for a couple of tough months immediately following surgery, he never lost belief he could return to form. Now it’s just a matter of showing everyone that he was right.“I’ve never questioned what I can accomplish, but … it always comes down to going out there and doing it and proving it,” he said. “I just have to continue to work and grow. It may not come in the first game https://www.patriotsfanstore.com/Jason-Mccourty-Jersey , but as long as I continue to do what I need to do and practice the way I need to practice, everything will take care of itself.”Watt had two tackles and two hits on Tom Brady in Houston’s 27-20 loss to the Patriots. He also came close to getting his first sack since Sept. 18, 2016 before nose tackle D.J. Reader ended up taking down Brady instead for one of his two sacks.“We’ve had a few discussions about it,” Watt said. “I’m not going to say my (hand) was on his ankle at the same time or before or anything, but we’ll see.”Now that he has the first game out of the way, Crennel is looking for Watt to continue his progress and start making the kind of impact he did before his injuries. Houston could use a big game from Watt and the defense to avoid an 0-2 start.“I expect him to continue to knock the rust off and get better every week,” Crennel said. “That’s what I’m expecting. So hopefully that will occur and if it does that will help us.”